The great outdoors.

All set for a fresh Easter break? If you are one of the many who took up outdoorsy activities like sea swimming or paddleboarding over the past couple of (pandemic) years, you are going to love the brand new Great Outdoors collection that has just dropped at Penneys. From wetsuits to towelling hoodies and changing robes, the new Great Outdoors collection aims to offer outdoor wear to everyone – high performing, stylish and – crucially – affordable. The Irish summer is only around the corner, and with these bits, you will be prepared no matter where your summer takes you, whether you are a pro or simply dipping your toe in the water. And it seems we have all been dipping our toes in the water lately – pun intended. New research shows that as many as one in five Irish people say they own a changing robe, with another one in five saying they would really like one, but are currently priced out of the market. Speaking about the launch, Barbra Leonard, Head of Buying at Womenswear at Penneys, says: "Penneys has always been built around the belief that everyone should be included – that is what is behind the wide variety of clothes and products we have in store, and we know that price, today more than ever, is a big part of what we offer." She adds: "And this becomes even more important when we see from research that access to the right clothing can be a genuine barrier for people to spend time outdoors and the role price can pay with that." We bet the borg-lined, waterproof changing robes (€50 for adults, €40 for children) will fly off the shelves. The robes have a two-way zip for easy access and changing, adjustable sleeve-cuff opening and two fleece-lined zip pockets both on the outer and inner shell. The unisex super-flexible and warm wetsuits are perfect for paddleboarding, surfing and open water swimming, and will retail for €42. The wetsuits come complete with a flatlock seam, a back-entry zip in a longer length for easy dressing and undressing and a velcro puller tape to make it simple to reach. The new Great Outdoor collection will be hitting stores this month, and there will be items for the whole family, from young children up to adult sizes.